Roasted Radicchio with Strawberry Balsamic Reduction

This easy vegetable side dish features roasted radicchio paired with a two-ingredient strawberry balsamic reduction. It’s the best way to eat radicchio, hands down!

My inspiration for this recipe was the turn of the seasons. Radicchio is on its way out and strawberries are on their way in. So why not pair them together?!

If you’re not familiar with radicchio, it’s a beautiful burgundy lettuce that looks similar to red cabbage. But it doesn’t taste like cabbage at all! In fact, radicchio has a strong and bitter taste that some people find off-putting.

But cooking this vegetable softens its bitter taste. That’s why I experimented with a roasted radicchio recipe as opposed to one that uses raw radicchio leaves.

Still, you can eat raw radicchio, and it’s actually really tasty in a salad with other lettuce varieties! Try it out after you get hooked on radicchio because of this recipe ;-)…

How to Make Strawberry Balsamic Reduction

Before you actually start prepping the radicchio for this recipe, you’ll want to get the DELISH reduction started.

Reduction is the term for liquid that has been reduced in volume, which means it has been exposed to heat until it becomes thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

The reduction for this recipe is made from balsamic vinegar and strawberries, so it has a lovely sweet and tart taste. I personally love tart sauces, but if you don’t, consider yourself forewarned.

To make it, bring balsamic vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan. Then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes. Add chopped strawberries, bring it all back to a boil, and then reduce the heat to a simmer for another 15-20 minutes.

The strawberries will soften as they cook, and the vinegar should reduce until it’s thicker than when you started.

The level of thickness for the reduction is up to you, however. You can take it off the stove whenever it looks good to you!

How to Roast Radicchio

Next up: get the radicchio in the oven! Simply slice the head of radicchio in half, and then slice each half in half again. AKA – quarter it.

Transfer the wedges to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, drizzle them with olive oil, add a crack of salt and pepper, and pop in the oven for 20 minutes. BOOM.

When the wedges are tender and slightly charred, remove them from the oven. Drizzle them with the strawberry balsamic reduction, and get ready for an explosion of amazing flavor in your mouth.

Don’t say I never gave you anything…

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What to Serve with Roasted Radicchio

This would be a beautiful recipe for date night, Valentine’s Day, or a holiday dinner party! Serve it alongside scallops, baked fish, pork chops, turkey, steak, or really any protein.

If you want to elevate the recipe with a couple other ingredients, try adding cheese (bleu or goat would taste really good!) and/or nuts (pine nuts, walnuts, pumpkin seeds…to name a few).

Ingredients

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Prepare the reduction first by bringing the balsamic vinegar to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until it’s reduced to half of its original volume.

Add the strawberries to the balsamic reduction. Bring everything back to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for another 15-20 minutes. It’s finished when the strawberries are soft and the liquid is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. However, you can feel free to remove it from the stove whenever it looks like a good consistency to you (it’s personal preference).

While the reduction is simmering, quarter the radicchio and transfer it to the lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and add salt and pepper to taste. Pop it in the oven for ~20 minutes, or until the wedges are tender and charred.

If you follow this order, the wedges and reduction should be finished right around the same time. Transfer the wedges to serving plates and spoon some of the strawberry balsamic reduction on top of each one. Enjoy!

Notes

Optional additions: goat or bleu cheese; pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, walnuts; any other cheese or nut/seed that you like

About Lizzie

I'm a Registered Dietitian with a Masters in Nutrition and over 5 years of experience creating recipes that celebrate seasonal vegetables. I love to educate others about food science, cooking, and nutrition, and provide practical tips to help people explore vegetables in ways that work for them. When I'm not in the kitchen, you can find me enjoying the trails and lakes in Minneapolis with my husband/sous chef Will. Read More…

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Welcome! I'm Lizzie, a Registered Dietitian who loves vegetables. And I'm here to help you love them too! My easy, veggie-forward recipes will help you get comfortable in the kitchen and celebrate the seasons. Read More…